Frostbite
by catchme21
Summary: Evil lurks in a child's wonderland. A short fic to kick the holiday season off right with John, Dean, and little Sam.
1. Cold As Ice

I am still in the process of posting World, its just been a while since I've written anything, so when this hit one night I stayed up and wrote it. It's a short one-shot, but I kind of had fun writing it haha. It is getting colder here after all...

Disclaimer: Until Santa realizes I've been an absolute angel this year and delivers the boys down my chimney, they're not mine.  
AN: The boys don't have specific ages, but they be wee li'l things they be. There's one swear word I think and no spoilers for anything. Hope you enjoy. -grin-

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---SN---

The first time I was conscious of anything outside, that kid was standing in front of me, a goofy smile plastered on his face. His mitten-covered hands gripped a large red knit scarf, and I knew he was intent on wrapping it around my neck.

A woman with long blonde hair lifted him up, and together they put the finishing touch on me. Once the scarf was in place, the woman set the child down and they both clapped their delight. My imbedded smile forced me to appear to share their happiness, but inside I was seething.

I do not know where I came from, or how I came to be, but I do know what I am and where I am going.

As the woman and the boy turned away from me, I began to shake slightly until one of my arms fell free.

The little boy ran back towards me, intent on placing my arm back into position. As soon as he placed a small hand on me for support as he reached up, I attacked. His mother's scream registered, but I focused on the struggling and crying form. I pulled until he was in up to his shoulder, pulled until half his chest was in, and with one last yank I had him.

His mother's claws dug into me on the outside, and I could feel the panicking child clawing from the inside. It didn't matter; they wouldn't be reaching each other any time soon.

As the cold began to take over, the child's struggles grew weaker, yet surprisingly the mother's stayed strong.

In a matter of moments, it was over. The child was gone.

---

Soon I mastered the art of moving. I skipped around, taking only one or two children at a time. Never any more. I knew of those who would catch on to me, who would be after me, and who could possibly stop me. I was only able to move from certain house to house, but it wasn't long before I could move town to town, or even state to state.

Later, you might say I became reckless and cocky. And perhaps I did. I stayed in one area too long, found the perfect residence. The weather was becoming warmer, so I was also becoming desperate. The area I had settled in was heavily populated, and I had my choice. I could be picky for once.

"Sam, Dean, stay close."

"Okay Dad. Sam, get behind me."

A small family approached me one night shortly before midnight. A taller man who could use a shave was followed at a distance by two small boys. The taller boy had his arm held protectively in front of the other, and at this time I knew I had been caught. They reeked of the supernatural, and I knew they were Hunting.

Well, I wasn't going down without a fight.

The man pulled out a small water bottle, and I caught a small glimpse of a cross in his fist as it caught the light. I silently hissed as he poured a generous amount of the blessed liquid on my head, but I was powerless to move or stop him. A new host was not close enough, and I hadn't fed in the past few hours. I felt the pull at the familiar and hated words that accompanied the water, the pain that began to tear through my gut.

Just then, something happened that no one expected. Least of all myself.

" 'no-man!" the little one yelled, and bolted towards me. The taller one was caught off guard, tripping and falling in his haste to catch the small bundle. The man dropped his Latin bible, and grabbed at the little one by the hood of his small coat.

A small hand reached for me, the boy's forward momentum tearing him from the precarious grasp of his father and sending him straight into me.

His small body enabled easy digestion, and I had him fully before they could both scream "Sammy!"

The father held the taller boy back. "Dean! We have to finish the exorcism!" dear old Daddy commanded as he bent to retrieve his items. "Do not go near It!"

"Yes sir!" the boy yelled in return. His hands fisted, and he stared at me with a pure hatred I couldn't even pull off. I was suddenly no longer afraid of the man holding the book. Just a few more moments and the boy would succumb, giving me more than enough to make my next move.

The little one stayed strong though, his voice growing hoarse as the cold began to seep into his lungs. I could hear his little heartbeat slow, and I knew he didn't have long. He'd lasted longer than any of the others, and I realized I didn't have enough time.

The father read faster, and the other boy had now taken to dousing me heavily with the holy water. Just as the little one began to fade away, I felt myself being torn from this world.

The heat of the flames as I fell welcomed me home.

---

"Sammy!" Dean screamed in panic after he saw the last of the black cloud disperse.

"Start digging," John calmly instructed, "but make sure you slow as you reach the middle. We don't want to hurt him."

In only seconds, something that seemed to take much longer, they found the edge of Sam's blue coat. Dean reached up and pushed at the sides, grunting in satisfaction as the snow began to fall away. John pushed at the rest, and was able to get a good grip on his child's sleeve.

Sam stiffly fell from the small prison, his pale skin and blue lips startling both Winchesters as they brushed at the rest of the snow.

"Dean, run ahead and start the car, turn on the heat." Without question Dean turned and sprinted for the car.

"Da-daddy?" Sam began to shiver violently, something John never thought he would have been glad to see.

"You're okay Sam," John crooned, tightening his grip on the small body.

"Did…did I…fa-a-all….asleep…outsi-ide a-ag-again?"

"Only for a moment," John returned. "Only for a moment."

---

The warm up process had been hell. John had seen enough cases of near-hypothermia in his time; he knew you had to slowly warm the body to avoid making matters worse.

Sam had slept through most of it, whining every time John had woken him up. He simply wanted to make sure he _could_ wake his baby boy up.

Dean, he had been a different story. Countless times he had to reassure his son that a slow warm up was best. It had taken about three hours to get Sam back up to normal body temperature, and another two to get his skin to follow suit. Dean hadn't been happy until his brother had felt warm to the touch, so each hour had been filled with endless questions on repeat.

Finally, when John had been satisfied with Sam's condition, he'd forced Dean into the shower and finally into bed. This hunt had taken a lot out of the boys; they'd chased that damn snowman-possessing demon across three states.

Raking a trembling hand through disheveled hair, John took a last look at his sleeping boys before stepping into the bathroom himself.

His shower was brief; he didn't want to leave them alone for long. By the time he reentered the room, he was pleased to find them still asleep. Dean had a small arm wrapped around Sam's shoulders, who in turn was huddled into Dean's side.

Dropping warily onto the bed closest to the door, John took a cherished moment to simply watch his boys.

He didn't want to think about how close he'd come to losing both of them that night. Countless other kids had been sucked inside that snowman, dying from the extreme cold in a matter of minutes. Instead, he thought about how quickly little Sam had rushed towards his harmless snowman.

"Can Sam start staying in the car?" Dean suddenly voiced, startling John.

"Yeah, dude, that sounds awesome," John replied, realizing Dean had just answered the question he had been asking himself. "Now get back to sleep."

Just as he turned out the light, he heard his eldest mutter, "Take that Frosty."

---SN---

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Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!!

-Kris


	2. Back In Black

I couldn't resist adding a little somethin' somethin'. I kind of wish I would have turned this into a chapter thing, but I kind of like the way it came out.

Thanks for reading guys and I hope you enjoy!

Kris

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.:.SN.:.

I made it.

I had waited so long, and my chance was over in moments. The climb out had been horrendous, blood and gore working its way under my nails as I dug and clawed my way out. Similar spirits writhed beside me, pushing me down as they pulled themselves farther along.

The fresh air flowing from above was too enticing to quit, too tantalizing to give in. I pushed back, clawed back, fought back. Finally I was out, I was free.

In my haste to escape I almost missed it, almost didn't catch it. A faint trace of a familiar aroma snapped my head around, sending my senses in a kaleidoscope of hunger and obsession. It was the same aroma my memory had fed off of for years, haunting my dreams with small expressive eyes and a sinless grin.

For an instant I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, that his memory was following me from the brink of hell. Then I saw him, the boy had _grown_.

Almost as tall as the tree he was pinned to, I saw a fire in his eyes and a stain on his once innocent soul. Time had not passed kindly for the young boy, and for that I was sad. It was his innocence I had hungered after, since that first taste.

One of the yellowed demons was circling the older boy, taunting him. _"Get behind me Sammy."_ It was the brother.

It was hard to believe the course the brothers had taken since I had last seen them. Not wanting to get involved any further, I gave my dream up for dead. Azazel was going to kill them, and I did not want to stand in the way.

The man from my nightmares made an appearance, his deep voice echoed through my memories and shot a pang of fear through my gut. _"Sammy!"_ I had heard rumors that he was in hell, but I had never gone to seek him out. I know better.

He grabbed Azazel, and I saw the oldest raise the famed Colt. That was when I split, not bothering to look behind me.

I drifted for a few months, taking victims here and there, never enough to be caught or noticed. Missing persons were filed, parents were crushed, and I moved on. I kept my activity down, conserving energy, taking my sweet time. Before I knew it, it was already the last month of winter, and the snow was beginning to melt. I would need to lie dormant through the searing months; I never was one able to stand the heat. Go figure. At the same time, laying low meant no sources of food, forcing me to conserve and ration.

Bravery, or plain cockiness, had overcome me before the end last time. I would not make that mistake again. I picked the perfect host and nestled deep, the cold wrapping a soft, familiar blanket around my core. I began to pull in victims, one chubby little body at a time. In the past twenty years, children had evolved into a larger body, taller and wider. They were not as easy to digest, but the end result was well worth the effort.

The parents never seemed to catch on, never seemed to guess. They continued to let their children visit the wide open park; they continued to let them near me. As each child would pack on a handful of snow, excited at the prospect of adding to my diminishing host, I would latch on and give a good jerk. Instant Child Cuisine.

"So this is it?" A hushed voice woke me up one night, pulling me from a sweet dream of success and the peace that drew near. Holding my breath, I knew what was coming my way.

"Yeah, this is the one we tracked when we were kids. I can't believe you don't remember it."

"Excuse me for barely remembering anything before I was six. Besides wise ass, how is it you remember?"

Peeking to the outer core, I watched the two young men grow closer, their boots leaving soft imprints in the mud and the snow, mixing the two elements. I smiled; I knew how the elder remembered.

"It's hard to forget when you have to dig your kid brother from the center of a freakin' snowman."

"Yeah, that probably sucked," the tall one whispered as they came to a stop beside me.

"Wise of him to hide in a park snowman, just like when we were little. Plenty of kids." The hint of arrogance in his voice was replaced by a somber tone, and the blonde's eyes flashed with a dangerous spark.

"Yeah, in a town where the kids collectively build this thing all winter, a handful of snow at a time."

They continued to discuss my tactics, and this time, I faced them with no fear. I had grown strong since my release from hell, and I knew how to fight them. My one weakness would be the boy in front of me, the one who had gotten away, I knew that. Already I could smell the familiar scent as he edged closer, a touch of innocence still buried beneath the ruggish exterior.

I had a plan.

"Well Sammy, I think we should send this bastard back to hell, find ourselves a nice little hole in the wall bar and top off our wallets. What do you say?"

"As long as that hole in the wall has a working heater, I'm there." Little did he know things were about to get a hell of a lot colder.

All of the children I had devoured, I let little Jamie's cry come forward, imitating it to perfection.

"Dean! You hear that?"

"Yeah, son of a bitch still has a kid!"

Both brothers rushed forward, and I itched in anticipation, I almost had him. Dean threw his arm in front of Sam, bursting out a quick order. "No, start the exorcism, I'll get the kid."

No, this wasn't going to happen, not this time. The older brother wasn't the one I was after damn it, but yet he was the one with his hands digging into my side. My prey stood so close, yet so out of reach. A small journal rested in his hands, and I could smell the father's faint scent lingering in the old leather.

With a quick burst of adrenaline I mentally grabbed the boy hacking away at me and tossed him into the air. The sting of Latin began to sizzle through my veins but the fire was doused when the exorcism was interrupted.

"…_ut descedas ab hoc plasmate Dei_-Dean!"

When the man in question didn't immediately answer, the last hunter standing grabbed a bottle of holy water and launched a sporadic stream directly at me. I think I screamed, the pain was so intense I could barely concentrate. Survival instincts kicked in, and I let Jamie's cry intensify. Rushing forward but keeping the bottle of holy water close, Sam began to dig.

"Can't let you…no, not again…I won't lose another one…" he was muttering as he hollowed out my side. I reached out as he jammed his fist into the hole he'd made and grabbed his wrist, recalling the last time we began this tango.

He was a lot stronger this time around, and I had a hard time gripping his larger wrist. Finally, I let out a feral cry and one last pull; he fell into me with a cry of his own.

"Sam!" Dean screamed, rushing forward. He rested his eyes on his little brother, and doubled over, his frame shaking.

"No, no, this can't be happening." He couldn't believe it…

"Shut up Dean."

"I can't," Dean started, unable to finish. "You are never living this down." He burst out laughing again, the image of his brother blurred as he laughed harder.

Sam's arms crossed over his chest as he glared at Dean. He was having a hard enough time holding his own laughter in, and the edges of his lips began to tremble as he fought to keep them turned down. This was _not_ funny.

He dropped his head to study his predicament. When he had fallen into the snowman, he had turned at the last minute and fallen in ass-first. Now, his backside was firmly planted in the hole, and his whole body shook as the demon fought to draw him further in.

"Is he…is he grunting?" Dean asked, wiping at his eyes. Sam's body jerked slightly as the demon continued his vain attempt at pulling the Winchester into a host half the size he was. The demon was snarling and grunting as it fought to draw the hunter in.

"Come on Dean, help me out of here, my ass is going numb." Sam's teeth began to chatter as the cold spread, and Dean's laughter died down to a simple satisfied smirk. This was ammo for weeks to come.

Grabbing the journal from where it had fallen, Dean brushed off the splatter of mud and took up where Sam had left off. In moments a small black cloud erupted from the snowman, blowing the head off upon exit.

"Come on Sammy," Dean said, reaching down to grab a hold of Sam's wrist. By the time the boys worked Sam's body out of the mound of snow, Sam's lips were lightly tinted blue and his whole body was wracked with chills.

"You okay?"

"I'll…I'll be f-fine," he replied, slowly clenching his hands into fists and grimacing when the knuckles cracked and the skin broke. He began to limp along side his brother, the feeling slowly returning with sharp pin pricks that intensified with every step.

"Okay man; let's get you back to the room."

"H-hey Dean?"

"Yeah?"

"H-how about f-finding a j-job in F-Florida nex-ext time?"

.:.SN.:.


End file.
